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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28500966">Kiss at Midnight</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Johanna_002/pseuds/Johanna_002'>Johanna_002</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Orange is the New Black</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, New Year's Eve, New Year's Fluff, New Year's Kiss</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:55:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,337</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28500966</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Johanna_002/pseuds/Johanna_002</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Maybe one day we’ll have a New Year’s kiss in Paris.” This time, Gloria said it with confidence. Happy New Year! Here’s to 2021. Red/Gloria.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Gloria Mendoza/Galina "Red" Reznikov</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Kiss at Midnight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>-01-</p><p>"Are you not hungry, Galina?"</p><p>Red sighed as she looked over at her friend. Gloria was sitting on the opposite end of the couch in her pajamas, a bowl of Chinese food in her hands. Her eyes were focused intently on her food as she worked the chopsticks skillfully, pinching up a bite of Lo Mein noodles.</p><p>"I still don't feel very good," she said tiredly. Her own bowl lay abandoned on the coffee table. She'd only managed a few bites before her stomach twisted in irritation. She hadn't been very hungry from the beginning, but after spending money to place an order in the first place, she'd at least wanted to attempt to eat. Her appetite had been off all day though.</p><p>"Are you sure it's not from those vodka shots we took?"</p><p>"No, I don't think so," Red shook her head. "I woke up this morning and didn't feel good. I don't think the vodka helped though, either."</p><p>"You're not supposed to be sick," Gloria told her stubbornly as she swallowed her food. She waved her chopsticks at her, opening and closing them in the same pinching motion that she operated them around her noodles. "You're my date for tonight."</p><p>Red smiled at her and pulled the blanket she'd been cuddling with up over her shoulders. "I just really want to go to sleep," she said, laying her head back against the cushion. "I don't even know if I'll make it to midnight."</p><p>"There's only 30 more minutes." Gloria's face fell into one of true disappointment. "If you fall asleep who is going to kiss me at midnight?" She'd honestly been a little sad the last few weeks, realizing that she'd spent yet another holiday season alone and that she was yet again, going to ring in the New Year a single woman.</p><p>She'd been on her own a long time, but God, was it lonely being single. Sometimes she felt downright invisible. Her own children weren't even spending New years with her, as they had date plans with their significant others, and intentions to ring in the day with their own nuclear family.</p><p>Red had gotten depressed listening to Gloria mope around, which was why two days ago she had jokingly volunteered to be her New Year's kiss. She hadn't expected Gloria to be as excited by the idea as she was, but the offer had really lifted her spirits.</p><p>"Does it really bother you?" Red asked her curiously.</p><p>"What?" Gloria continued to pick at her food.</p><p>"Being single, not having a real date tonight," Red listed off. "You've talked about it for weeks now, you know."</p><p>"Am I depressing you?"</p><p>"No," Red lied. "I'm just curious. Does it really bother you? It never bothered me, not really, anyway. It bothered me that Dmitri never seemed to take an interest in our children, but I guess I learned and accepted early on the way things would be."</p><p>She'd equally spent a large majority of her life alone. Even when she and Dmitri were married, she'd felt single, and now being divorced for two years, and being officially single, it felt as if nothing had changed. She woke up, opened her store, saw her children, then came home and went to sleep, so that she could do it all over again the next day.</p><p>Gloria shrugged her shoulders. She leaned forward to put her bowl on the table and then reclined back into her corner of the couch, crossing her arms over her chest. "Is it wrong if I say yes?" she asked softly, her eyes focused on the tv. They were watching the live footage from Times Square. "I'm not sad that I don't have a date tonight," she clarified, "but I look back on my life and it's depressing to realize that no one has ever loved me."  </p><p>"I love you," Red told her instantly. "You're my favorite person. How could you say that? Your aunt loves you, your kids, your granddaughter. That baby loves you so much, Gloria. My kids love you. Sometimes I think they love you more than they love me."</p><p>Gloria smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "That's not what I mean," she said, picking irritatingly at the fabric over her knees. "I've been in love," she admitted softly, "but it wasn't real... to them at least, it wasn't real. No one I've ever been with has ever, really loved me."</p><p>Red sighed but knew that couldn't argue with that. The last serious boyfriend Gloria had, had really done a number on her, both mentally and physically. It had been a very dark period of time in her life, one that she rarely spoke of, but that Red had been able to witness firsthand. She considered herself to be a great judge of character, and sometimes, when she thought too much about the situation, she felt guilty for not picking up on it sooner. To this day, she wondered how she could have missed the signs so badly, how she could have ever possibly missed what was really going on in her friend's home. </p><p>That relationship, in particular, had ended almost 10 years ago, and other than a few dates here and there, Gloria really hadn't been serious with anyone. Pulling the blanket away from her body, Red gestured with her hand for Gloria to come closer.</p><p>"Lay down with me," she told her, adjusting so that they could sit comfortably next to one another.</p><p>Gloria didn't need to be told twice. She crawled over to Red and cuddled up close to her. Without thinking about it, she reached for her hand and interlocked their fingers. She laid her head on her shoulder, sighing softly in contentment as Red covered them both up with a blanket. She felt so warm and happy at her side. </p><p>"People suck," Red told said a few minutes later, watching as the time clocked-down to 10 minutes on the television. She squeezed Gloria's hand tightly and rested her head down on top of hers. Whatever she felt about relationships and love, and the unrealistic expectation that so many people had in regard to the whole thing, she too needed this lesser sense of intimacy. </p><p>"Yea," Gloria agreed softly, breathing deeply. So many times, they had laid like this throughout the years, that it was second nature, and came as no surprise to her at how well they fit together.</p><p>"Whatever it's worth, I hope you know I love you," Red nudged her slightly.</p><p>"Yea, maybe you're my soul mate," Gloria joked. "Maybe that's the reason it never worked out with a man before."</p><p>"Maybe," Red laughed, she reached her hand up to play with the short fringe of Gloria's bangs. "You did go and cut all your hair off, like a lesbian."</p><p>"Hey," Gloria pouted, turning to look at her. "Isla kept pulling my hair and putting it in her mouth." She touched her short crop self-consciously, running her hand down the back of her neck. "You really don't like it?"</p><p>"I love your hair," Red promised her.</p><p>Gloria rolled her eyes but settled back down against Red's side. Silence engulfed them as they watched the time tick by on the clock. There were only five minutes left until the new year.</p><p>"I love you too, by the way," Gloria told her as she squeezed her hand. "Whatever that's worth."</p><p>Red smiled against her temple, puckering her lips to kiss her softly. Sometimes she wondered what she'd do without this woman, or where she'd be without her friendship. Then she had to reel herself in and shake the negative thoughts from her mind. The mere thought of losing Gloria in any capacity scared the living hell out of her.</p><p>"Maybe next year we should go to Time Square for New Years'," Gloria said thoughtfully.</p><p>"I'd rather go to Paris," Red said stubbornly.</p><p>Gloria laughed. "You have big dreams." The time continued to tick. There were two minutes left until midnight. "Do you want to take another shot with me?" she asked, already reaching forward for the mango vodka that she'd brought over and their respective shot glasses.</p><p>Red sat up and watched as she poured the drink. There was one minute left on the clock. "You're gonna get sick if you kiss me."</p><p>"Then you better make it one hell of a kiss," Gloria joked. There were 25 seconds left on the clock.</p><p>"Happy New Year, Gloria."</p><p>"Happy New Year, Galina."</p><p>Together they clinked their shot glasses, hit them down on the table, and brought them to their lips, throwing the liquid back in one quick, fast shot.</p><p>5</p><p>4</p><p>3</p><p>2</p><p>1</p><p>They leaned forward simultaneously, and Red felt her head spin at the feel of Gloria's warm breath against her face. She gently cupped her check and there was this teasing moment of anticipation as she got so close, her nose lightly brushing Gloria's. Their lips met in a soft kiss, and her eyes instantly fluttered closed at the contact.</p><p>They pulled apart for a brief mili-second, their eyes still closed, and like magnets, they made their way back to one another. They did this three times, Red's hand unconsciously moving to Gloria's neck to keep her close.</p><p>Gloria's hand came up to do the same, finding its natural place in Red's hair, stroking back the side in a tight grip. Red's mouth was warm and soft against her own. She tasted tentatively with her tongue, and Red opened her mouth with a low moan. They used their respective grip on each other to guide the kiss, and this time it was Gloria's turn to moan as Red's tongue massaged against her own.</p><p>It felt absolutely incredible, which was why they both had seemed to instantly come to their senses and pull apart. Their breathing was heavy, Red's hair was tussled from where Gloria's hand had been playing in it, and Gloria's breathing was deep and purposeful as she tried to regain control of herself.</p><p>Neither spoke, and it was only after a long moment of silence, did Red lookup. She was sure her blush was a wild burn. She felt hot and the air felt thick. Gloria looked much the same, her eyes dilated nearly two sizes in shock.</p><p>Red was the first to smile, wanting Gloria to know that it was okay. It wouldn't be awkward unless she made it awkward. Gloria smiled back, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. She was ambushed by a sudden urge to kiss her again and had to fight the urge to move forward and do just that.</p><p>Red wasn't sure how long they'd sat there. It could have been minutes or hours, but all she knew was that at some point she'd found herself alone on the couch, her thumb softly tracing over her lips the same way Gloria's mouth had done. It was the way she'd fallen asleep, replays of their kiss flashing over, and over, and over again in her mind. Her last thought, before sleep captivated her, was that she hoped this didn't ruin the relationship that she and Gloria had. </p><p>…</p><p>The next morning, Red still wasn't feeling great. She didn't know if it was her cold worsening, or embarrassment, or a mixture of both. Perhaps it was due to exhaustion. Sleep hadn't been peaceful, as she'd kept thinking about their kiss. No one had ever kissed her like that before, and she wasn't sure what to make of it.</p><p>Either way, she now was curled up on the couch with the same plush blanket from last night wrapped around her shoulders. She had a bowl of warm, apple-cinnamon oatmeal in her hands, and there was a tall glass of orange juice next to her on the end table. In her lap, she had a box of tissues and some cough drops.</p><p>She had just scooped a small bite of oatmeal into her mouth when her cell phone started to ring. She reached for her orange juice, quickly taking a sip to wash down the bite she'd just eaten. She set the glass back down on its coaster and reached forward on the coffee table for the offending deceive.</p><p>Seeing Gloria's name flash across the screen made her stomach twist in knots. "Hello," she said nasally into the receiver, instantly regretting the choice to pick up the phone in the first place.</p><p>"Good morning, sunshine," Gloria greeted her.</p><p>There was no hesitancy or awkwardness, and for a few moments, Red wondered if last night had even happened.</p><p>"How are you feeling?" Gloria asked, her voice scratchy and hoarse.</p><p>Red shook her head at the sound, trying to dispel her thoughts and focus on the conversation at hand. "Gloria," she sniffled, "Please don't tell me I got you sick."</p><p>"You did," Gloria told her, laughing slightly. "I woke up this morning with congestion and a sore throat."</p><p>"Ugh," Red groaned. She held the phone in place with her shoulder and mixed her oatmeal around in the bowl. "I feel bad," she confessed. "I feel worse today than yesterday."</p><p>"You sound it," Gloria agreed.</p><p>"Do you have to work today?" Red asked. She thanked God that Gloria sounded like her usual self. She didn't sound scared or embarrassed to talk to her. That realization eased her into a state of relaxation, and she reached for a tissue and wiped her nose aggressively.</p><p>"I'm calling in as soon as I hang up with you," Gloria told her. "If you feel worse today, then I probably need to spend my day sleeping and resting. Going into the New Year sick wasn't exactly what I had in mind, you know."</p><p>Red smiled. "I told you not to kiss me," she joked. "I told you that you'd regret it in the morning." This was a double-edged statement, intended to gauge how Gloria was feeling about what happened last night. There was a brief pause, and Red held her breath, fearful that Gloria would indeed admit regret.</p><p>"I don't regret it," Gloria told her sincerely. Her tone was serious, the same kind of serious Red had never had to question before. "I'd kiss you again if I could."</p><p>"Really?" Red felt her face heat up, and she wasn't sure if the flush she felt searing over her body were fever or desire. Maybe a little of both?</p><p>"Mm-hmm," Gloria confirmed. There was a momentary pause, before she said, "I'd have taken you to bed, too…. if you know, you weren't so snotty and puffy-eyed."</p><p>At this, Red laughed, and she curled tightly against the arm of the couch. "You didn't want to go into the New Year sick, but you wanted to wake up in my bed?" she asked gently. This felt like new, yet familiar territory.</p><p>"I didn't know I wanted to until after you kissed me," Gloria told her. "I wanted to kiss you again… it's why I left. I didn't… want to ruin things, or make it awkward."</p><p>Red's mind raced to catch up. She didn't remember Gloria leaving, but she knew she had left. She'd thought it was the vodka that had played tricks on her memory, but perhaps she'd just been so damn intoxicated by their kiss.</p><p>"Am I misreading last night?" Gloria asked nervously. </p><p>"I.. ugh," Red struggled to formulate a response. Kissing Gloria had felt nice. Way nicer than she'd ever remembered a kiss to be before.</p><p>"I felt... I don't know," Gloria stammered. "It felt different, but maybe that was just the vodka?"</p><p>"I don't think so," Red said finally. "I umm… I felt it too."</p><p>"Would you have let me?" Gloria asked softly. There was another brief pause, and she took the opportunity to amend herself. "Would you have wanted to? For me to kiss you again, I mean."</p><p>Red brought the glass of juice up to her lips and took a huge gulp. It was the equivalent of swallowing the truth, something she wasn't sure if she was ready to do. She wasn't sure what the truth even was. She hadn't known anything like this. She hadn't expected the kiss to feel like anything, so why did it?</p><p>"Maybe," she whispered. "Yes," she said finally, licking her lips. "I would have." She felt as if her heart were going to burst out of her chest at any moment. </p><p>"Let me or wanted to?" Gloria needed clarification.</p><p>Red could hear her suck in a breath and she wasn't sure if it was in response to her answer or the fact that Gloria was already congested and struggling to breathe. "Both," she was more confident with her answer this time.</p><p>"Really?" Gloria squeaked out in excitement.</p><p>"Yes," Red laughed, and she meant it. She'd felt dazed after their kiss had ended last night. The drinks had been flowing, her body though sick, had been humming with happiness and curiosity. She very easily could have spent the rest of the night kissing Gloria. That she knew without a doubt. </p><p>Holy shit. Her mind kicked up a notch, racing forward and backward. She felt as if she were Columbus discovering new land. Her mind raced around and around. It felt as if someone had taken her head and scrambled up all of the coherent thoughts that she had. It was as if her ability to think and process information had left her completely.</p><p>Gloria was her best friend. She had been for years. Would it really be so strange to think she was incapable of catching feelings for her, that it was a foreign concept that their chemistry could go further than a good friendship? She saw her and talked to her as much, if not more than she did her own children. They spent nearly all of their free time together.</p><p>Had she been looking past something wonderful? Someone wonderful. Someone who had been right in front of her face the entire time. Her mind raced with thoughts of them together. Their memories, the things they had gone through. The secrets they had shared. The dreams that they'd had. There wasn't anyone else in the world who knew her the way Gloria knew her.</p><p>The bigger question here, suddenly felt to be: how could she not have caught feelings?</p><p>It was a privilege to trust, and be trusted, the way the two of them trusted each other, and not many people got the privilege of meeting someone like that. Honest to God, she'd had thoughts before that their relationship was that of a spiritual connection, that they'd had kindred spirits and hearts.</p><p>Now she wondered how she could have ever been so oblivious to what she'd always known.</p><p>"Okay then," Gloria said. She seemed to be in a daze as if she were equally—mentally—putting together the pieces of how they'd gotten to this point. "I don't really know what to say," Gloria confessed.</p><p>"I don't either," Red admitted.</p><p>"Maybe we can talk about this when we're both feeling better?" Gloria asked her. "Maybe... we'll see where this could go?" It was intended to be a statement, but her nerves made it sound like more of a question. "If you wanted to, that is." </p><p>"Maybe," Red whispered, she balled her hand into a fist and bit on it nervously. "I mean, I would. I would like to talk about this." </p><p>"Okay," Red could hear Gloria's smile through the phone. "Maybe one day we'll have a New Year's kiss in Paris." This time, Gloria said it with confidence. "I'd like that."</p><p>"So, would I," Red told her. She felt another wave of heat flush over her body, and her stomach twisted in a wave of excitement. She hadn't known what the New Year would bring her. In fact, she hadn't even really had any big hopes or resolutions. She'd never really been in the habit of making any, but now, after this conversation… perhaps she was about to walk into the best year of her life.</p>
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